Canada

Notley slams BC oil move

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says there will be consequences for British Columbia over the province's latest attempt to hinder expansion of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain oil pipeline.

Notley is holding an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss what range of legal and economic levers Alberta can pull in its spat with its neighbour to the west.

Notley cited interprovincial trade in electricity as one of the possible lines of pursuit.

B.C.'s environment minister said Tuesday that the province plans to ban increase shipments of diluted bitumen off its coast until it can determine that shippers are prepared and able to properly clean up a spill.

The B.C. government says it will establish an independent scientific advisory panel to study the issue.

Notley calls the move unconstitutional and says B.C. is trying to change the rules after the pipeline has already been approved.

"Having run out of tools in the toolbox, the Govt of BC is now grasping at straws. The BC Government has every right to consult on whatever it pleases with its citizens. It does not have the right to re-write our constitution & assume powers for itself that it does not have," Notley tweeted.